


New Year, New Doctor

by IAmTheBadWolf



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/M, Fluff, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-10 22:20:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5603050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmTheBadWolf/pseuds/IAmTheBadWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I was just wondering if you wanted to go sneak away to the TARDIS with me Ms. Tyler? I haven't gotten off this planet in days and there are so many cool New Year’s related things in the universe  I could take you to see!"/// Rose and the new Tenth Doctor celebrate New Year's Eve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Year, New Doctor

“New Year's Eve!” The Doctor enunciated each syllable, showing off his new cadence. “Celebrating your planet’s completion of another lap around the sun! With fireworks, drunk drivers, midnight countdowns! It’s brilliant! You humans never cease to amaze me with your sentimental celebrations! Did you know the origin of the-”

“Well isn’t this a change in tone. Every word that came out of that other face of yours was insult,” Jackie said, placing the tea kettle atop the stove

“It isn’t really New Year’s till at least nine at night, once people are actually starting to get smashed," Rose said. Her voice was hoarse from sleep.

“One word for you Rose: TARDIS… Well actually technically that’s six words, but it’s also one word! Did I ever tell you that my granddaughter made up that acronym? Well she did-”

“You? A grandfather? I’d like to see that,” Jackie quipped.

“Anyways, I digress. We have a time machine Rose. It can can be nine or ten or twelve at night whenever we want it to!”

“You aren’t planning on hopping in that ruddy box of yours are you? ‘Cause you were practically dying on Christmas and it’s only been a few days since then… Can you really drive the thing?” Jackie asked.

“Can he ever really drive the thing?” Rose said. The Doctor flicked a sliver of egg towards her nose, and she swatted his hand away. Her tired scowl made its way into a much more becoming sleepy smile. 

“I’m honestly feeling tip top Jackie. Completely ay-okay now thanks to you and your hospitality. And to answer your question, I was thinking about taking Rose out for a New Year’s Eve escapade! We’d be back in time for anything you had planned! I know Rose promised we wouldn’t leave until after New Year’s day.”

“The Doctor will see how you party Rose,” Jackie said. Rose stared into her coffee mug. 

“And how’s that?” The Doctor asked, his spiky hair nearly touching Rose’s forehead as he leaned across the table.

Rose inhaled sharply, his new smell catching her off guard once again. The Doctor from before had smelled like ash. The sort of smell that you would imagine wafting through the air while watching planets burn. This Doctor though, he smelled like the air surrounding a burning candle. It was a similar aroma, but much more homely. Rose knew the big eared Doctor would be absolutely mortified if he knew just how domestic his new self smelled.

“Last New Years I wasn’t too bad mum, I think I was sober.”

“Came home rambling about some strange fortune telling man in an alleyway. Sober my arse.” Jackie said. 

“Hey I practically had to pull you out of a toilet last year mum- after it really sunk in that you came home alone. Don’t pretend you’re so innocent.”

“Can Time Lords get drunk?” Jackie asked, glancing towards The Doctor. He poked holes in his toast with his fork.

Rose smirked. “Tell her Doctor, can Time Lords get drunk?”

“A Time Lord’s biology is incredibly advanced, and the effects of alcohol can-”.

“They can,” Rose interrupted, “and he definitely has. Captain Jack could probably get a Dalek drunk.” 

“Captain Jack… Oh him. What happened to that one?” Jackie asked. 

Her question was met with only silence. 

“I’m gonna go get dressed and call Shareen, see what her plans for tonight are,” Rose gave The Doctor an affectionate head pat before getting up, pushing her chair in, and leaving the kitchen. 

Humming casually to herself, Rose arrived in her room and peeled off her cute purple boxer shorts and pajama top. Giving her bare body a once over in her floor length mirror, she wrapped herself into a fluffy floral print dressing gown, heading across the hall towards the bathroom. 

Fifteen minutes later she found her way back into her room, dripping with water, her hair wrapped up in a towel, and her bathrobe around body. She faced her mirror, tracing her eyes with an eyeliner pencil before brushing them with mascara.

Rose had only just released her hair from its towel prison on top of her head when the door to her room swung open. The Doctor strided in absentmindedly, His limbs vibrating with excitement. 

 

“Oh my God Doctor! Knock!” Rose exclaimed, Her cheeks heated up as she pulled the loose extremely revealing robe tightly around herself, tieing it, embarrassed.

The Doctor carried on, deciding to pretend that he had not just completely seen Rose’s left nipple, also pretending that he didn’t completely want to see it again. Trying his best to harness control over himself, he halted as much blushing from occurring as possible, and any blood flow to any other undesirable places. He shut his eyes for a moment, feeling slightly dizzy, he was out of practice when it came to controlling these sorts of things.

“Are you okay?” Rose asked awkwardly.

“Er- sorry,,, Er yeah I was just wondering if you wanted to go sneak away to the TARDIS with me Ms. Tyler? I haven't gotten off this planet in days and there are so many cool New Year’s related things in the universe I could take you to see! There’s one planet that celebrates with an insanely complicated dance-esk obstacle course! And one planet just has a gigantic planet wide orgy- not that we should go there, it’s just an odd thing to think about... I mean humans like sex but that’s a little over board,” The Doctor scratched the back of his neck.

Rose was attempting to bite back a smile, running a hairbrush through her hair to create a reason to look in the mirror instead of the Doctor’s enticing expression. She wondered how she would ever say anything intelligent to this Doctor while looking into his heart melting eyes. 

The thought of stepping inside the familiar coral clad TARDIS made her instantly excited. Her toes itched for the feeling of a different planet beneath her feet, and each step she took reminded her how brilliant the sensation of less gravity was. She could only imagine how The Doctor must feel.

“Give me ten minutes and I’ll meet you in the TARDIS,” She told him, and The Doctor beamed. 

“You won’t regret it!” He said, before leaving her room with a newfound bounce in his step.

Rose shook her head, the thrill of possible adventure sinking in. She dressed hurriedly, pausing only momentarily to lift her TARDIS key from its resting position on her dresser.

Time to give the New New Doctor a chance to show her the stars.

____

Rose Tyler walked into the TARDIS, instantly appreciating the familiarity of the scene in front of her. The Doctor was fiddling with buttons on the TARDIS console insistently. The floor, walls, and console were grunting and vibrating in disagreement. She had witnessed this countless times, and it was comforting to find yet another aspect of TARDIS life that remained unaltered. 

“Rose Tyler! Glad you could join us! I’ve just been setting coordinates!” He still said her name the same way, despite the accent change. His tone was full of adoration while still managing to be enigmatic.

The Doctor’s gaze was fixated on Rose’s beam as she looked around the console room. “Missed the place?" His beam created crinkles of skin below his eyes. 

"She missed this too.” He pulled a lever, and the machine lurched as they flew off into the vortex.

The ride was unsteady- as per usual. Rose found herself leaning against The Doctor, himself directing his weight against the TARDIS console as the entire machine wobbled back and forth. The pair couldn’t help but laugh uncontrollably as the landing was made, enjoying not only their newfound love for this closeness, but the way nothing other than that seemed to have changed.

“So,” Rose said, smacking her lips together excitedly. She hovered right outside the door, savoring the feeling of mystery as to what was behind it. “Where are we… When are we?”.

“See for yourself!” The TARDIS doors were opened to reveal the gorgeous landscape in front of them. The sky was a deep purple with pink and blue clouds layered on top of it. Three silver moons were aligned in the sky. 

Underneath the sky was the rocky base of what was obviously some sort of large landform. In between a gap in the rocks about the width of two people, was a netting that went straight up the mountain.

“Well,” The Doctor said, his voice brimming with anticipation. “Let’s get climbing!”

Rose grabbed hold of the netting, stuffing her shoe in between the ropes and hoisting her body upwards. She continued this motion repeatedly, The Doctor following close behind.

“Where are we exactly?” She asked, the strain from exercise relevant in her tone.

“ We’re on a lovely planet named Yoawaxtopthon! Bilateral symmetry hasn’t quite evolved yet- I forbid you from laughing!” The Doctor said.

“Bilateral symmetry… You mean they aren’t the same on both halves?”

“Hey could I have a hand here?" The Doctor asked. Rose leaned down, reaching out her right hand. The Doctor grinned. “See Rose, even you aren’t perfectly symmetrical! Handedness, one of mankind’s oddest little mysteries! But no, not quite. Those on Yoawaxtopthon aren’t just not symmetrical, theres only half on them to begin with! One arm, one leg, one ear, one eye, if you think about it, you only need one really.”

Rose raised an eyebrow. “Really?” She reached down for a moment to lace her fingers with the fingers on The Doctor’s slightly newer hand. “Tell that to this hand right here,” She said, squeezing his hand. 

They resumed climbing.

“I’d say most things are better with two, aren’t they?” He said. Rose had to admit, she was partial to the flirtatiousness of this Doctor, as long he kept it directed to her.

“So what does Yoawazytapython have to do with it being New Years Eve?” Rose wondered, slithering her body through a particularly thin gap between jutting out rock.

“Yoawaxtopthon,” The Doctor corrected. “And see how all three of their moons are lined up like that in the sky? That only happens once every time their planet finishes it’s rotation around their star. Their celebration is rated number two in the book “Best Yearly celebrations in Yoa galaxy!”

“So why not go to number one?”

“That’s the planet wide orgy- I thought it best to skip that.”

“Fair point.”

The two opted for climbing in silence for the time being, their arm and leg muscles aching considerably as time went on. 

“How much longer is this climb?” Rose said. The tissue of her lungs was beginning to burn.

“Shouldn’t be too much longer. Just focus on the scenery. The view is absolutely brilliant.”

The repetitive climbing was ruptured when Rose clutched on to the firm ground instead of the malleable netting. She grinned, and felt a hand meet her own.

The hand yanked at her, struggling slightly due to her weight, she took a few more steps upwards, assisting whoever was helping her up by attempting to hoist herself over the edge. With much effort, she found herself standing on solid ground, only slightly dazed.

She opened her dizzy eyes to meet the singular eye of the helpful stranger. He or she- Rose couldn’t tell- was wearing an official looking outfit with a badge pinned to their light blue shirt. It was the oddest thing Rose had ever seen. With one eye and one nose, but a full head… and a full torso with only one leg and one arm sprouting from it.

“Well that explains the extra weight,” The creature said humorously, looking Rose over with a smile. “We’re so lucky to have so many off worlders here tonight. My name’s Alee, and you are?” 

“Rose.” Rose introduced, sticking out her right hand to shake before quickly swapping once realizing Alee only had a left hand. 

“The socializing is great but could I get a little help here?” The Doctor's voice carried from below the cliff.

“Oh yeah sorry,” Rose realized, bending down. She and Alee both offered a hand to The Doctor, pulling him over the edge of the cliff.

“Welcome to the Alignment Of The Moons,” Alee said, shaking hands with The Doctor. “Please enjoy the next ten minutes of leisure until we begin.

“Thank you." The Doctor smiled, pulling out his credit stick from one of his pockets. He held the stick to Alee’s watch, giving Alee four credits. Then, he promptly walked away.

“Were you just tipping him?” Rose asked, she laced her fingers with The Doctor’s.

“Well that is his job, pulling people up and into the celebration. And in this century, his pay isn’t exactly something to call home about.”

Rose gazed around at the celebration surrounding her. There was a long aisle separating two halves of what looked like a fair, with booths set up containing various activities. 

“I don’t even know where to start,” Rose said, but The Doctor was already pulling at her hand, dragging her towards a booth.

“You’ve got to try this Rose! It’s the most delicious thing in the entire galaxy- no universe! Seriously!” He gave the alien at the booth a few credits, taking two odd spiny looking fruits from the basket on top of the counter. 

The fruit was squishy to touch, molding into the shape of Rose’s hands, almost like a liquid. She mimicked the Doctor, and ripped off a spike, plopping it on her tongue.

Vibrant hues of orange and red danced their way across her eyes, moving in slow spiraling motions. The colors continued to shine even as she shut her eyes tightly, proving they were byproducts of the tangy taste echoing throughout her tongue and sliding down her throat. Her hands scooped involuntarily to place more of the fruit inside her mouth.

“See?” The Doctor raised his eyebrows, expecting his correctness to be praised. Rose squeezed his hand that still clasped hers, giggling at the sight of fruit juice running down the side of his mouth.

“What are you laughing at?” He asked.

“You got a little something,” She said, pointing at his face.

“Oh really?” He whipped out his tongue and licking along the corners of his mouth, retrieving all the juice skillfully. He wiped the remaining saliva off with his hand before offering the same hand for her to grasp. “Come on! We have to go check in!” He exclaimed, before setting off towards the stage at the front of the aisle. 

“Check in!? Check in to what?” Rose asked, giving apologetic looks to all the people The Doctor brushed aside without a second glance.

"We have to check in to be eligible to watch the show, and we have to watch it Rose! I've never seen it before, but I've heard it's magical. They shoot these... These- well they're kind of like fireworks,from the moons and into the atmosphere... And they create this song, can you imagine?"

"I can't!" Rose's tongue poked through her teeth. "That makes it better though."

"Right you are Rose Tyler!"

The Doctor then went off to the receptionist to check them in, giving their names, planet of origin, and other details. Rose's stare cause the eyes of two of the natives, and she wondered if the wandering off rule was still applicable with this Doctor. 

She approached two of the natives, their bodies pressed so close together that they looked almost like an oddly shaped normal human. “Hello,” She said. "I’m Rose Tyler.”

The two glared at her insufferably, and Rose was extremely grateful when she felt the tug on her shoulder of The Doctor pulling her away.

“Rose!” He scolded, half joking. “Don’t be rude.. They’re… Bonding.” He leaned in close to her as he spoke, his breath hot on her cheeks.

“Bonding?” Rose asked.

The Doctor smirked, his eyebrows wiggling as he pinned an entry badge to Rose’s chest. “The natives here aren’t always half a human. When they meet their mate, it takes a few years for them to literally fuse together into one. Then they leave the planet and live on the middle moon right there." He pointed in the sky at the glowing golden moon. "Their population is actually declining slowly, because mating means that you lose one in the equation. Bit of a flaw in their evolution if you ask me. I guess you could say they literally ‘Lose themselves’ in a relationship.”

Rose's facial features tightened, in awe and slight disgust. The oddity of alien planets was never something she would get used to.

"So how do these people get around all the time?"

“Well notice anything different about the natives and most humans?” The Doctor asked. Rose panned her eyes around the fair, attempting to pick out any minuscule details. 

“Well for starters they only have one eye and one arm,” Rose said, looking up at The Doctor through her eyelashes and flashing him a silly smile. He did a long exaggerated eye roll.

“Anything else?” He ran hand down the length of his newly styled hair, a new habit that arose realized was going to complicate trying to not find this Doctor extremely attractive. 

Rose peeled her eyes off the a Doctor and continued to examine the planet's inhabitants.

“Their arms are different,” She said, focusing intently. “They’re much more fit, basically the opposite of you,” She said, proud of her relization.

“Hey this body is extremely fit! What are you talking about?" 

“You’re thin, but I’d honestly be surprised if you could lift a pencil with the amount of muscle you’ve got.”

“You know I could be offended Rose, I really really could, but all I hear is that you’ve been looking,” The teasing in his words was evident, but Rose’s cheeks involuntarily heated.

Rose coughed awkwardly, giving a segway for herself to change the topic. “So why do their arms look like they do push ups for a living?” She asked. “Is it because they have more work to do being the only one?”

“Well yeeahh, but I also think it’s because they’re rather partial to things being vertical, so they don’t have to hop around all the time.They like climbing.”

“I took gymnastics when I was younger, maybe it’ll come in handy again.” Rose mused.

The Doctor’s eyes lit up, remembering that acutely. “Yeah maybe, it came in handy when you first met me." He slipped his hand into her's effortlessly.

“Still so weird that was you,” Rose mumbled. The Doctor now was direct when it came to affection, but less direct during any discussion of emotional pain. She knew, logically, that they were the same man, but emotionally, she couldn't see them that way.

“It will get less weird, over time." He gave her hand a tight squeeze. "And speaking of time, we’ve got plenty of it till the show starts! Let's go mingle!"

Rose opened her mouth to speak, but the Doctor was already pulling her towards a group of alien women holding various drinks. Their eyes were staring in the Doctor’s direction, and they were laughing obnoxiously loud.

"Hello!" The Doctor said. "I'm the Doctor, this is Rose."

“How do you get your hair to stand up like that?” The tallest women asked, her eye brow lowering on her forehead. 

“I’ve been asking him that too, he must work on it for ages,” Rose said. She stopped speaking when the lady began to run her fingers through the Doctor’s hair in a much too familiar manner. 

“It’s so soft,” she mused, her voice low.

Rose found herself glad that the Doctor looked rather uncomfortable. He ducked back, smiling politely. 

“Err, yeah. Thanks,” he said. “What are your names?” 

Rose listened half heartedly to the list of alien female names. She spotted a caterer holding a plate with glasses of some substance that looked similar to alcohol, and she took one glass, handing one to the Doctor. 

“Is it safe for me?” She asked directly into the Doctor’s ear. He nodded.

He held up the glass, examining it for a moment. He inhaled deeply through his nose, presumably smelling it. He shrugged. 

“Just your standard, alien champagne-ish thing. Perfectly safe for a human.”

“You’re a human!” One of the alien’s put her hands on Rose’s arm. “Like a real one?

“Uh… Yeah. Last time I checked yeah,” Rose said. She brought the glass to her lips.

“Wow! I read about you lot in school just last week. That neebulom galaxy exploration you just launched. It’s amazing really.”

“Oh, well… Thanks.” Rose smiled. 

“They are amazing aren’t they!” The Doctor’s head turned in Rose’s direction as he spoke. She shivered slightly when he reached his arm around her. “The human race, always asking more questions, always exploring.”

Rose had been able to tell through his rough exterior that her old Doctor had been a bit of a closet human enthusiast, but these intense human praising rants were new. She enjoyed them, but they also reminded her that the Doctor didn’t have his own race to rave about anymore, and that she would never meet another time lord. She’d never be able to return the favor. 

She downed more of the alien champagne, and noticed herself beginning to feel a bit tipsy. The Doctor’s hair suddenly begged to have her hands run through it, but she resisted. 

“Attention ladies, gentlemen, and none specified categories! Thank you for joining us for the annual Alignment of The Moons! Please take a seat and turn off any noise or light producing devices. the show will begin in one moment.

Rose flipped off her cellphone, before joining the Doctor on the ground. He had laid out his coat for the two of them to sit on. 

“Versatile,” she remarked. She resisted the urge she was getting to lean into his side and rest her head on his shoulder. The noise around them began to dwindle and the world felt as if it was spinning. Rose realized she could barely think straight. 

She looked down at her glass, taking another sip. “How potent is this stuff? I feel like I’d had double what I’ve had.”

The Doctor shrugged. “Eh, it’s New Years. Not like you’re gonna be driving.”

“‘S that why you’re not having any?’ Rose’s words began to slur together a bit, which amused her.

“I could fly the TARDIS anywhere, drunk or sober or whatever. I’ve had loads of practice. 

“Yeah tell that to that year that I lost on our first trip,” Rose said. She finished off the glass, and the temptation became overpowering. She cuddled into his side, not caring that she had technically just met him.

“Ours?” The Doctor sounded surprised. It wasn’t the first time she had equated he and his past self as the one in the same, but it still caught him off guard. He broke out into a peaceful smile and ran a tender hand through Rose’s hair.

“I feel like-” Rose trailed off. 

“Shh,” the Doctor said. “You’ll want to hear this, I promise.”

“I love this." Her voice was a whisper. 

She gasped when the first firework came exploding from the planet’s moon. It exploded in all different vibrant hues across the fabric of the sky. The color’s danced rhythmically, and instead of a loud crack erupting from the act, a melodic note came raining down. More fireworks entered the atmosphere, converting into a breathtaking song illustrated with music and colors that fabricated a sense of euphoria within Rose. Somehow, she managed to pull her eyes away from the intense display for one moment to glance at the Doctor. From his dilated pupils and awestruck expression, she could tell he felt it too. 

It went on for almost an hour, and Rose was captivated every second. It was like hypnotism. Rose was struck with pity for the natives of the planet, who only had one ear and one eye to appreciate their own fantastic display with. 

The moon’s simultaneously began to glow, and as if on cue, the natives began to shout.

“Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!”

Everybody cheered, and those who had bilateral symmetry clapped wholeheartedly. 

“They do that here too? The countdown? That’s so cool,” Rose said. She stood up, shaking her head in an attempt to adjust to the new low lighting. 

"Yeah, they actually got that custom from you lot. It spreads, people like that one… Well, when I say people.” He didn’t need to finish his sentence, she knew what he meant.

“Ready to do it again?” Rose asked. The Doctor shook out grass from his coat and put it back on. 

“With your mother there? Sounds like fun.”

“Seriously though! Behave yourself!” Rose smacked his forearm, giggling at him. “You’re gonna dance with me.” She wiggled her finger in his face. “We’re gonna see if you’ve still got the moves Doctor, in this new body thing. You’re gonna dance with me only, alright, Shareen ‘ll be up on you I can tell you that much. She’s got a thing for older men.” Rose’s steps were erratic as they walked back to the TARDIS. 

“You, Rose Tyler, seem properly drunk right now.” The Doctor felt a rush of overpowering affection for her. “I’d have expected better from you, from what Jackie’s said. You’ve only had one glass!”

“I had another while we were watching that… That spectacular firework thing. It was wonderful Doctor.” 

“Are you coordinated enough right now to navigate the rope wall on the way down?” The Doctor asked, glancing at her bright beam and slowed motions.

“Oh lighten u Doctor, have some fun, c’mon.”

“I’ll take that as I no,” the Doctor said. Without asking, he hoisted Rose up and onto his shoulders. She shrieked with delight, and the Doctor responded with laughter. 

“You’re so….” Rose paused, searching for words. The Doctor began the climb down the wall ropes course. 

“So?

“Ha. So him maybe. But so different. Like what you just said was very him, but what you just did was so… Not him. He wouldn’t do this with me.” Rose finally succumb to the urge and ran her hand through the Doctor’s new gravity defying hair, as if that would prove her point. 

“He’d have done anything for you Rose. He died for you.”

“He did. That was… But he’s still in here though?” Rose wrapped her hand around his torso and pressed her fingers against his chest where his left heart would be.

“And here.” The Doctor lifted her hand and moved it over his right heart. He held it there for a few seconds and let her feel his hearts beating before he resumed his climb.

“I still don’t think he’d let me on his shoulders just ‘cause I got a bit tipsy watching fireworks.” 

“Maybe not,” the Doctor said. “But he’d also never go to a New Year’s Party that your mother was going to be at.”

Suddenly, Rose was serious. Her eyes widened, then narrowed. “Can I ask you something Doctor?”

“Anything, of course.” They were almost at the bottom.

“You know, I can’t remember it very well… The whole Bad Wolf thing or whatever.”

“Yeah?” The Doctor’s voice was tender. 

“Did he- Did you- Did he kiss me?”

“Yeah. I did, yeah.”

“You did.”

Neither of them spoke for a moment.

Rose broke the silence with a small, adorable laugh. “That’s cool,” she said. 

“Yeah?” As the Doctor spoke, his foot hit solid ground. He released his grip of the ropes, and crouched down so Rose could step off his back.

“And Doctor?” Rose didn’t seem to have noticed the fact that she was now supposed to do the walking herself. The Doctor grabbed her hand tightly to keep her by his side.

“Mmhm.”

“I don’t think I said. Thanks.”

“For what?” He asked.

“I dunno. Saving my life. Taking me here. Going to my mum’s New Year’s party.”

“I haven’t quite done the last one yet.” The Doctor unlocked the TARDIS doors and ushered her inside.

“Well yeah, but you’re about to. So… Thanks.”

“You’re very welcome Rose Tyler.”

“Kay! I’m gonna sit here while you fly this damn thing.” Rose sat on the grated floor. “I think if I stand while this thing rocks around in the vortex I’ll be sick everywhere.”

“Suit yourself.” The Doctor found that the smiling Rose sitting cross legged, basking in TARDIS light was one of the more beautiful and adorable things he had seen in his life. He flicked a lever, and off they went into the vortex.

They landed in an alley right near Rose’s flat, and the Doctor instructed Rose to act as sober as possible so that Jackie wouldn’t have his head cut off. Rose of course, only laughed and slurred: “You’re gonna be fine,” very unconvincingly. 

They entered the flat, and the Doctor was immediately impressed with Jackie ability to rearrange furniture so that her place appeared a lot bigger. The lights were dimmed, the rooms were crowded with people and food, and the music wasn’t the best, but overall, Jackie had good party planning skills. 

“Should’ve known you two, be an hour late to a party, with a time machine. Typical.” Jackie approached them with her arms crossed. She raised an eyebrow at how Rose was practically draped around the Doctor.

“Mum stop worrying!” Rose brought her hands to Jackie’s cheeks. “He’s an alien,” she mouthed, before erupting into a fit of giggles. 

“And you got her smashed! Lovely!” Jackie’s sarcasm had never been more evident.

“She’s- She’s not that drunk, she’s putting it on to make you-”

“Shareen!” Rose said excitedly. “Shareen, this is… This is the Doctor, Doctor, this is Shareen!” 

The Doctor recognized Shareen from pictures Rose had shown him. He reached out to shake her hand, before withdrawing once he realized that’s not at all what Shareen was going for.

“Hey,” she said, somehow managing to slur only a single word. “Rose has told me so much about you. I mean, she didn’t mention that you were absolutely adorable, but…” 

“I told you she was a flirt,” Rose said. 

“Wanna dance mate?” Shareen offered him her hand. 

“Err.” He scratched the back of his head. “I told Rose I’d dance with her only, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. That was a test. Rose, I can’t believe you actually found someone half decent. What a change of pace. I’m shocked.”

“That’s not- I’ve had… Mickey’s decent.”

“Mickey was a best friend that you slept with to distract yourself."

“The Doctor and I aren’t..We don’t. We’re not together.” Rose and the Doctor both shifted uncomfortably.

“Uh huh. Okay. Go on, you said you were gonna dance. Go do it! Quickly! the year’s almost over.”

They didn’t need to be told twice. The Doctor reached out his hands and Rose molded instantly into place. They skid across the floor as elegantly as possible against the odd music mix Jackie had put together, and they both enjoyed a good laugh when Toxic started playing.

“Only a few minutes left,” Rose said. “I’m excited. New year, new Doctor. It’s good change.”

“Yeah? That’s- I’m so glad you see it that way Rose. Not everyone is this kind when it comes to regeneration.

“How could I not be, when he gave his life up for us to enjoy this together…” Rose’s voice was a whisper, but he could catch every word.

“ Oh and we will, won’t we Ms. Tyler?” 

“Yeah we’ll be fantastic Doctor, absolutely fantastic.”

“Brilliant,” he echoed.

“Brilliant.”

They danced then, to the notes of the slow background sound and the chatter of party guests. Rose’s head somehow fit perfectly between the Doctor’s shoulder and neck.

“So, how’d you like my mum’s party? Did it live up to your human New Year standards?"

“So far so good."

“Ten!”

“Here we go,” Rose said.

“Eight, seven, six, five, four, three,two-”

“You know, there’s one Earth New Year’s tradition, you haven’t even mentioned yet,” Rose said.

The Doctor knew what she was going to say, of course he did. Yet he still asked, with a grin on his face: “And what's that Rose?”

“ONE!”

Rose grabbed the Doctor by the collar of his suit and pushed their lips together. She slid her eyes shut and ran her fingers through his hair lightly before withdrawing from the kiss and gazing into his eyes intently. 

“Always wanted to do that,” she admitted. 

“You’ve only known me for a few days!” The Doctor said, smiling goofily.

“What do you mean Doctor, I’ve known you for over a year."

He beamed. “Happy New Year Rose Tyler.”

"Happy New Year. Oh, by the way, we have to help Jackie clean up with this is over.”

“Are you serious?”


End file.
